This invention relates to a readily soluble sweetening composition containing an edible bulking agent, a dipeptide sweetening agent and more particularly to a low bulk density sweetening composition which in appearance and behavior is similar to ordinary, granulated sucrose but which possesses a bulk density and caloric value per unit of volume considerably less than that of sucrose.
It has recently been found that certain dipeptide compounds possess an intense sweetness level. Examples of these compounds are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,475,403 and 3,492,131. These dipeptide materials would appear to have great commercial applications as sweetening agents since they range up to 200 times the sweetness level of sucrose, have no discernible unpleasant aftertaste, and can be produced from naturally occurring amino acids. However, problems have arisen with the use of these compounds: their rate of solution in water is markedly slower than that of sucrose; and these compounds, when in solution, tend to decompose, losing substantially all their sweetness, upon heating for extended periods of time at temperatures above about 80.degree. C.
Glicksman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,288 set forth a composition which is produced by co-drying a solution of an edible bulking agent and a dipeptide sweetening compound and is more readily soluble than the dipeptide sweetening agent alone. Nonetheless, Glicksman et al. teach that at least about 40 seconds are required to completely dissolve 1.5 gm of their composition (containing 0.036 gm of sweetener) in 170 ml of 4.degree. C. water. Consequently it is an object of the present invention to produce an instantly dissolving composition comprising a dipeptide sweetener. It is an object of this invention to produce a low-calorie substitute for granulated sucrose.